文档介绍：Understanding
4bo r derline personality disorde r
‘I wish I had never been diagnosed with BPD. With another
diagnosis yet similar behaviour I was treated so differently.
Possibly the most painful part of this illness (I will call it that)
is the discrimination. And the only reason for this is the
diagnosis, not the way I feel, behave or speak, because that
was the same before.’
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a controversial
diagnosis. This booklet aims to help people to understand
when the diagnosis might be given and its consequences.
It suggests sources of help for those diagnosed with this
problem, their friends and relatives.
? What is borderline personality disorder?
BPD is one of many personality disorders listed in the manuals used
by clinicians when they are giving someone a psychiatric diagnosis.
The word 'personality' refers to the on-going pattern of thoughts,
feelings and outward behaviour that makes us the people we are.
A personality disorder may be diagnosed when it's felt that several
ar eas of someone's personality are causing them or others prob l e m s
in everyday life. This diagnosis is very controversial, because it implies
that someone's whole personality is flawed – rather than just one
aspect of them. Some psychiatrists argue that it's impossible to treat
someone's personality and that it's wrong to apply medical terms and
tre a t m e n t s to a personality. For this reason, it is usually the symptoms
of BPD that are addressed in treatment rather than the disorder as a
whole. (See Mind's booklet Understanding Personality Di s o rd e r s fo r
mo r e information about this particular group of diagnoses).
Some argue that the term 'borderline' is misleading. Originally, the
te r m was applied to people who seemed to be on the border of being
given a diagnosis of schizophrenia. However, now BPD is seen as
distinct from schizophrenia diagnoses. The 'borderline' aspect is seen